Description

ENRICO DE FRANCESCHI (PADUA, 1885 – TURIN, 1945)

 

 

 

 

At a very young age, he moved to Argentina, where he began his vocal studies and soon made his stage debut in 1907 at the Teatro Urquiza in Montevideo as Amonasro in Aida. The following year he was already heard in Italy, appearing at the Teatro Dal Verme in Milan as Rigoletto. In 1909 he performed in Corfu at the Teatro Nuovo as Germont in La Traviata, before returning permanently to Argentina, where he remained active until 1921, appearing at the most important theaters of South America (Buenos Aires, Rosario, Montevideo, Valparaíso). His repertoire there included roles such as Figaro, Alfio, Malatesta, Melot, Nelusko, and Amonasro.

In 1921, De Franceschi returned to Italy, beginning a long career that lasted until the mid-1940s. He established himself as a dramatic baritone of authority, performing in major Italian and Spanish theaters, and later also at La Scala in Milan. His repertoire expanded to include Renato, Alfonso in La Favorita, Jago, Scarpia, Tonio, Carlo in La Forza del Destino, Sharpless, Gérard, Belcore, and the Count di Luna, alongside his most celebrated roles: Rigoletto and Jago, both of which he sang extensively.

Among his notable later successes were appearances at the Teatro Reale of Madrid (1927), Teatro Massimo of Palermo (1928), Teatro Petruzzelli of Bari (1925, 1930, 1933), Teatro La Fenice of Venice (1923), Teatro Lirico of Milan (1932), Teatro La Scala of Milan (1938), and Teatro Regio of Parma (1926, 1941).

His final years remained active despite the difficulties of wartime Italy. His last appearances were in 1945 at the Teatro Municipale of Piacenza, where he sang Rigoletto. Shortly afterwards, he tragically ended his own life.

 

TRACKLIST

 

 

Ballo in maschera (Verdi) Eri tu D5213 B606 Columbia

Barbiere di Siviglia (Rossini) Largo al factotum 2071 Fonografia Nazionale

Cavalleria Rusticana (Mascagni) Oh! Il Signore vi manda… Ad essi non perdono (w. Fumagalli-Riva) P1615, P1615, 2-6494, 2-6495 Parlophon, Berlin 1923

Dinorah (Meyerbeer) Sei vindicata assai E 10221 6407 Parlophon, Berlin 1923-10-11

Ernani (Verdi) Lo vedremo o veglio audace D5211 B634 Columbia

Ernani (Verdi) Oh! Dei verd’anni miei D5211 B638 Columbia

Ernani Lo vedremo veglio audace P1607 2-6500 Parlophon, Berlin 1923-10-12

Favorita (Donizetti) A tanto amor D5210 B 621 1925 Columbia

Favorita (Donizetti) Vien Leonora D5210 B 601 1925 Columbia

Gioconda (Ponchielli) O monumento (Monologo) P1605 2-6492 Parlophon, Berlin 1923-10-10

Gioconda (Ponchielli) O monumento 35041 2035  Fonit

Guillaume Tell (Rossini) Resta immobile 35041 2028 Fonit

Io voglio amarti (Tosti) 20576 Edison 2-min cylinders, Milano 1907/1908

Madama Butterfly (Puccini) Non so, non so (w. Cortis) P1581 2-6507 Parlophon, Berlin 1923-10-15

Nerone (Boito) Vivete in pace 35050 2019 Fonit